Manchester City are steadily improving their youth team set-up with players like Brandon Barker, pictured, impressing in the UEFA Youth League.

When Manchester City were subject to a shock takeover in September 2008, the landscape changed.

The paupers became the princes and the supporters enjoyed the ride of being linked to the superstars of the game. That deadline day, they signed Robinho from Real Madrid for around £32million and from that moment on, the club became the story.

Amid the supporters' excitement, there was disgust from other quarters at how the new owner could splash such funds on the playing staff, especially during...

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini speaks after his team's 3-0 victory over West Brom.

Manchester City's form has them set to finish in fifth place this season.

This was the startling news one website brought us earlier this month in light of City's drastic slump on the pitch. If, we were told, this ever-patchier form continued, City would risk falling out of the fabled top four and losing their place at the Champions League table.

More recently, the Manchester Evening News also published a supposed supporter poll where -- among others -- Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko had...

Manchester averages more than 122,000 spectators between Manchester United's Old Trafford, pictured, and Manchester City's Etihad.

Manchester United and Manchester City may dominate, but there are eight professional football teams in Greater Manchester. Britain's second-biggest conurbation, of 2.5 million, is a football city that also boasts numerous semi-professional sides playing to average home crowds as high as the 2,000 that attend the games of FC United of Manchester, the breakaway club that formed after the Glazer takeover of Manchester United in 2005. They're about to move into their own new, £6.3 million, 5,000-seat...

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini speaks after his team's 3-0 victory over West Brom.

Real Madrid's Sami Khedira could be a useful addition to Manchester City's midfield. That he is available on a free transfer makes him an attractive option.

Manuel Pellegrini might have arrived in England with the moniker of The Engineer, but signs are he will need the intricate skills of Isambard Kingdom Brunel this summer to get Manchester City firing again.

With a summer season of wheeling and dealing in front of them all, the Premier League big spenders will already have begun the long process of drawing up targets, having them followed, scrutinised and reported on, and putting together shortlists of whom they see as their ideal purchases.

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini speaks after his team's 3-0 victory over West Brom.

At this stage in the season, even the most die-hard of Manchester City fans will be looking over their shoulders at the chasing pack rather than setting their sights on Chelsea at the top of the table. While any shot the club has at winning the league is now remarkably slim, it's not totally out of the picture -- although it might need a minor miracle now for it to happen.

It's something of the same old story for the supporters and it's a story that crosses a number of eras. Being defending champions...

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Wenger could swoop for Smalling

One reason Manchester United find themselves firmly entrenched in the top-four battle has been the play of Chris Smalling. He has been a terror at the back and has contributed some well-timed goals off set pieces along the way, too.

Apparently his play has been noticed down London way by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. The Mirror is reporting that the Gunners are trying...